The Bay Area is rich with human energy to improve our economy and progressive solutions to deal with our pressing economic problems. What makes our areas so special is that we are working on these issues in a way that empowers people, protects the planet, increases community wealth, while respecting justice, diversity, opportunity, and equality. Progressive Opportunities showcases the best work of nonprofits, companies, unions, activists, and government leaders; provides invaluable discussion on some of our most pressing economic issues; and provides us with new information and tools to actively participate in creating positive change.

Listen to all 24 sessions at your leisure on your computer, iPod, iPad, tablet, or other listening device. Full set of audio is available on CD (with free binder) or as digital mp3s (on Free USB drive). Both are mail order only, shipping and handling fees applied upon checkout.

Are you a social entrepreneur looking to raise money from friends, family, and community members? Are you a community member wondering how to support great local farmers, artisans, and businesses supporting your local economy? How can you leverage both accredited and non-accredited investors? Learn about innovative fundraising tools, public policy challenges and solutions, new financing vehicles, and local investment clubs.

Small business owners can learn about a new technology that promotes their business through a unique collaboration between East Bay Express, local business associations, business districts, and all their social networking channels. This tool is super easy to use and saves merchants money and time in promoting their businesses while vastly expanding their marketing reach.

Audio CDs: 1

$10.00

$7.00

POC12-103

Sustainable communities – advancing clean energy, water efficiency, and smart growth in the East Bay

Join key public officials in a conversation about the opportunities for the East Bay to thrive with a sustainable economy and environment. The crisis of climate change calls for resilient local action – hear what our representatives are doing to increase clean energy and energy efficiency at the state and local levels. The East Bay and the city of Oakland is facing a crossroads, with the elimination of redevelopment agencies, but with opportunities for an urban renaissance – how can cities move forward and encourage livable communities and sustainable transportation?

Those who advocate new economic forms speak a language of ethical treatment of all. Yet, visions of a new economy often neglect to consider effects on workers, especially workers who perform more repetitive jobs. At the same time, the historic form of protections for workers – unions – has had a focus on community and protection of all since their inception. Yet, unions have had difficulties adapting to changes in the old economy and have not fully entered the conversation about a new economy. What is the role of unions in a new economy? How should new economy advocates think about this? How can these groups work together? This session will explore these rich and perplexing questions.

Audio CDs: 1

$10.00

$7.00

POC12-121

Visualizing a sharing economy – a cartoon guide to the policies and practices that are paving or blocking the way

Speakers: Janelle Orsi, Author of The Sharing Solution and Director, Sustainable Economies Law Center and Law Offices of Janelle Orsi

Sharing is a key ingredient in the transition to a more sustainable world. Car sharing, shared housing, barter networks, gift circles, shared food gardens, meal sharing, community energy projects, cooperatives, community-supported enterprises – these are just some examples of ways that sharing is becoming an essential part of our economy and livelihoods. With the help of somewhat goofy cartoon slides, Janelle discusses practical ideas and tools, ways of overcoming barriers to sharing, and exciting new developments in the realm of sharing economies.

Audio CDs: 1

$10.00

$7.00

POC12-122

Economic development for our communities – the potential of decentralized energy systems

Localized energy systems can address both the climate crisis and economic crisis of our cities, rolling back greenhouse gas emissions and providing clean energy jobs. This presentation explores the economic and social benefits decentralized energy system can provide to our communities, and the kind of policies and program needed to develop such a system.

Audio CDs: 1

$10.00

$7.00

POC12-123

Why Occupy changes everything and how to join with Occupy to build powerful coalitions for change

A discussion on how citizen action has altered the regional and national discussion on our economy, prompted individual and collective change, and has the potential to further promote our transformation to a new more just and sustainable economy.

Over the last third of a century, wealth has become increasingly concentrated in the hands of the 1% of the population that is wealthiest. Well over 40% of the nation’s resources are controlled by that top 1% and the companies they control. Not surprisingly, the 1% of the population that is wealthiest is also the 1% of the population that has political power proportionate to its wealth. This session explores several questions in order to shed light on these disturbing trends as well as discuss strategies to overcome them.

Audio CDs: 1

$10.00

$7.00

POC12-132

When the economy’s rotten, sell compost: transforming ecological crisis into community opportunities

You’ve heard “crisis=opportunity,” but exactly who is that opportunity for? In this workshop we’ll get an exclusive sneak peak at interactive tools from Bay Localize’s forthcoming second edition of the Community Resilience Toolkit. We explore how the climate and energy crisis is impacting the local economy, and how to create businesses and jobs that make your community ecologically resilient. The key is following the money.

Audio CDs: 1

$10.00

$7.00

POC12-133

Laughter Against the Machine: a documentary film preview and discussion

Speakers: Comedy Troupe: W. Kamau Bell and Nato Green

Comedians W. Kamau Bell, Nato Green and Janine Brito, are Laughter Against the Machine; a unique kind of comedy troupe where the audience expects to be challenged, to laugh, and think at the same time. It’s an issue-oriented, no-holds-bar show with no preconceived expectations, no party lines, and certainly no cheerleading – because they have beef with everybody, including themselves. Like Doctors without Borders, armed with jokes instead of penicillin, Laughter Against the Machine is a comedic peacekeeping mission to bring humor to those who need it most.

Wall Street investment activity is premised on a view of a theory of finance called, “Modern Portfolio Theory” (MPT). Due to lack of an alternative, even many green investment companies rely on MPT. But MPT is based on a selfish view of utilitarian interests in which the investments of an individual or enterprise are looked at out of societal context, and measured only by short term financial returns. Strict adherence to MPT forecloses most sustainable and green investment strategies and MPT has failed even as to what it promises. Hear from a panel working on a new replacement theory that is fascinating as well as nationally important, and which puts sustainability and people’s true needs at the heart of investment strategies.

This session focuses on how worker cooperatives are an integral part of sustainable, local economic development. Areas discussed include the basics of worker cooperatives, the impact of worker cooperatives on local communities/economies, successful models of worker cooperative development (start-ups), and barriers to growing the worker cooperative economy. Resources are available for participants interested in working in/starting a worker cooperative or wanting to support workplace democracy in the Bay Area.

There are numerous studies demonstrating how “buy local” campaigns benefit communities; how support of local retailers, producers, and manufacturers benefits city and citizen wealth; how moving your money to community banks and credit unions better serves entrepreneurs and residents; how it’s friendlier to the planet to source locally; how nonprofits receive more funding from locally-based business; and how promoting local entrepreneurs and business owners verses out-of-town owned chains promotes diversity and healthy, resilient communities. Learn the economics behind the localization movement and how you can personally participate in shifting dollars locally.

Audio CDs: 1

$10.00

$7.00

POC12-151

State and national small business policy and opportunities discussion

Speakers: Scott Hauge, Small Business California; David Bowdin, ASBC – American Sustainable Business Council

Changing public policy through advocacy in Sacramento and Washington is essential for building a robust and sustainable economy. New business organizations have emerged to champion the priorities of the 21st Century small business owners and investors. Small Business California conducts an annual survey to identify the top priorities for small business in California. Scott Hauge describes how SBC is improve access to capital, energy costs, and the potential power of small business in California. The American Sustainable Business Council advocates on national issues. David Brodwin describes their increasingly successful work to mobilize business leaders and create a counter-force in the media, supporting forward-looking policies to restore American competitiveness and promote sustainable and socially-responsible growth.

Audio CDs: 1

$10.00

$7.00

POC12-152

The non-profit industrial complex, cooperatives, and how to include your friends in the (food) revolution

Speakers: Yoni Landau, Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive (CoFED)

The session presents an overview of the cooperative business model with a variety of examples, and helps participants think of ways to directly create a more cooperative economy. Also discussed is the role of non-profits and the tax shelters that support them in creating value for our communities. Some attention is given to unique food movement organizing in the state around a non-GMO ballot initiative as a case study. The session is participatory with small group exercises and facilitated discussion from the audience.

Audio CDs: 1

$10.00

$7.00

POC12-153

Bikenomics – how biking will save the planet, our pocketbooks, and our local economy

Speakers: Renee Rivera, East Bay Bicycle Coalition

At this session talks about the dollars and cents benefits of biking. Renee Rivera, the Executive Director of the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, presents on Bikenomics – how biking will not only save the planet but your pocketbook, too, not to mention our struggling local economies. Learn about the economic impact of bicycling as well as cutting edge innovations like bike-friendly business districts and much more.

B Corporations are a new kind of company that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. They meet transparent and comprehensive standards of social and environmental performance. They also legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests. Being the hub of innovation and social enterprise, California now joined six other states to sign Benefit Corporation into law. This panel discusses the why and how to for companies to join this movement and amplify the voice for sustainable business.

Roughly 3% of the U.S. workforce telecommutes a majority of the time today, if that number was 50% of those who can, we would cut our carbon emissions in ½, while saving 453 million barrels of oil, reduce 2.1 billion hours wasted in traffic. This session explores the many ways that companies and individuals can bring themselves up to speed with the knowledge worker/broadband economy wave, especially here in the uber connected Bay Area.

Where national currency is scarce or there is a lack of market support for community services, local currencies can facilitate better flows of resources and energy by matching unmet needs with underutilized resources. Investing in community currency means investing in your community’s health and real wealth for the long haul, and therefore our own security and happiness. Democratically-controlled local money can be a powerful tool in relocalization to shift economic power and transform the economy into a more caring and cooperative one.

Today, over $12 million has been invested directly in small food enterprises through the Slow Money network, both nationally and through over a dozen local chapters, one of which is in Northern California. We are still at the beginning, and at the same time we are well on the way to our goal of 1 million people investing 1% of their money in local food systems, this decade. Learn how, in Wendell Berry’s words, these “millions of small acts” can begin to rebuild our economy… from the ground up.

Do you know the appropriate financing and business training options for your small business? Have you been denied for a bank loan and don’t know where to turn? Are you a start-up or growing business struggling to access capital? This session provides information and resources to help you find the right type of capital that your small business needs to start or grow. It will also introduce you to business training resources that can take your business to the next level.

This presentation is a discussion of how Wall Street private bankers control the amount of money in circulation and how alternative banking models can be used to fund loans for homeowners, students, entrepreneurs, and businesses on Main Street.